Cuts hit Champ Man studio

Square Enix will make “unavoidable” workforce cuts at Beautiful Game Studios, the outfit responsible for the Championship Manager series.

It is unclear how severe the staff cuts will be, though Square Enix indicated that development of the Championship Manager series will continue.

In a prepared statement, the publisher told Develop that the layoffs will be completed before Christmas.

“Our current business model does not allow us to compete in a fast-changing industry with any degree of flexibility or commercial confidence,” read the statement.

“To achieve this, we will be restructuring Beautiful Game Studios, which will regrettably bring with it unavoidable job losses.”

Square Enix says that the layoffs are part of the publisher’s decision to “re-focus our vision for the franchise and redefine our business model to build a successful commercial future for the Championship Manager brand.”

The job cuts come after a revival for the Championship Manager series.

The 2010 edition of the football management series was well received by critics and had shaken up the standard retail model with an In Rainbows-esque option to pay what you want for the game.

Last week Square Enix president Yoichi Wada hinted during his keynote address at MIGS that Eidos’ London offices – where BGS is housed - would be restructured. It is unclear whether the Champ Man studio’s cuts are part of this wider goal.